House of Pilate (La Casa de Pilatos)

La Casa de Pilatos, or the House of Pilate, is surrounded by uncertain legends. The building was certainly finished by the Marquis of Tarifa after his return from a Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Land in the mid-16th century, and the Italian Renaissance elements show his infatuation with what he'd seen.

But the Pilate reference? Some say the house is a copy of a ruined palace, supposedly Pilate's, that the Marquis saw in the Holy Land. Others talk of a correlation between the original Pilate house's proximity to Golgotha, the site of Christ's death, and the proximity of the Marquis' house to a local chapel.

La Casa de Pilatos has a grand Imperial air, with ancient statues, elaborate tiles, a courtyard fountain and elaborate ceilings. Its mix of Mudéjar and Italian Renaissance elements was to prove massively influential.

Practical Info

The Casa de Pilatos is located in the Centro Histórico, a few blocks from the Cathedral.